However, after a week of waking up at least once a night (sometimes six times) to take care of the needs of puppies, I just didn't feel that I had the energy to do it this year. Maybe next year.
Still, because of the miniscule bladders of our adorable new additions to our family, I have now been able to appreciate how light it stays up here. I wasn't certain, since we are so much farther south than Fairbanks, if the experience would be similar to my time at UAF, but I have to say that it doesn't disappoint.
The sun officially sets tonight at 11:38 (AKDT) and will rise at 4:34 (again, AKST); however, it doesn't really get dark here. Instead the land is wrapped in a long twilight (minus the sparkly vampires). Thanks to the refractive powers of our atmosphere and its effects on the spectrum of light from our sun, the land often takes on a golden tint, which I've heard referred to as "alpine glow." It makes everything look like it's staged in a fantasy movie (or, in my more fear-induced stages of dream-like puppy-walking, something out of "The Walking Dead").
How does one, such as Janelle, who must sleep in near-absolute darkness survive? In our case, she has covered our bedroom windows with brown paper which has been sufficient enough for me to bruise my shins and stub my toes several times when answering the call of the almost wild.
Welcome, summer! Welcome!